


Nightmares

by TheLOAD



Series: Hunters AU [15]
Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Gen, Mad King Ryan, The Mad King - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-08
Updated: 2015-05-07
Packaged: 2018-03-29 13:33:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3898159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheLOAD/pseuds/TheLOAD
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nightmares

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an idea to write some of The Mad King's nightmares down in one place, since he has them fairly often.

He knew The Hunters would be sent to kill him eventually. Knew that Hullum would grow too anxious of his ally's madness to keep him around forever. The betrayal has been expected, but what hadn't been expected was that Jack alone would appear in Ryan's throne room, sword drawn and a cold glare in his eyes. Ryan swallowed and wet his lips, standing up and drawing his sword as Jack approached.

"You don't want to do this," he said, tightening his grip on the hilt to keep his hand from shaking. _I don't want to do this._

"Yes, I do," Jack said. "I've wanted to for a while. Wanted to make you pay for every innocent man, woman, and child you put to the sword." They circled each other, Jack looking for a opening and Ryan unwilling to make the first move. Unwilling to cut down his friend.

"We're friends Jack," Ryan said. "Please I don't want to fight you. I don't want to kill you." He wasn't sure he could even if he wanted to. He was a better fighter than Jack, always had been, but Jack was lethal when angry, and he knew how to use his superior weight to his advantage.

"Well I do," Jack said, lunging forward. Ryan blocked the attack, his feet skidding backwards on the stone floor as Jack rammed into him with all his weight. Ryan's chest felt tight and his eyes stung; he was trapped. When Jack broke free and attacked again Ryan stayed on the defensive, unwilling to attack and risk injuring Jack. If he could hold off the attack long enough his guards would get there and then...and then what? Throw Jack in The Hole to rot? Wait until the others came to finish the job? Was he to throw them all into a cell just to avoid killing them? Ryan was shaking now, too badly to hide it, as he backed away from the circling Jack. Part of him wanted to just close his eyes and lower his sword, to beg Jack to at least make it quick. Another part of him wanted to fight back with everything he had, to show Hullum what happened to those who betrayed The Mad King. Still a third part of him wished he had died by The Butcher's hand and remained dead, so that his last moments with his friends would have at least been happy ones.

When Jack went in to attack again Ryan closed his eyes and let his instincts take over and he lashed out with everything he had. There was the sound of metal piercing flesh and the gasp of a dying man. When Ryan opened his eyes he saw Jack slumped forward on his sword, the blade running clean through where Jack's heart was. Horrified Ryan drew the sword back and threw it across the room before catching Jack and laying him on the ground.

"Wake up," he said, taking off his cloak and pressing it to the wound in a futile attempt to stop the blood. Jack didn't respond, his blank eyes just staring upward. "Wake up, you're going to wake up." Ryan blinked, tears stinging his eyes. "You were doing your job, a..and The Tower knows that so you're going to wake up. You're going to heal...and wake up...and then you're going to kill me because I deserve it. You were right, I'm a monster. You were always right." Jack didn't budge, and Ryan felt himself choke. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, please, just wake up. Please wake up."

It was Ryan who woke up, gasping and crying in his bed. He panicked for a moment when he felt damp, his heart stopping in his chest before he realized it was only sweat and not Jack's blood. Choking down a sob he curled up tightly, shivering as the wind blew cold through the window. It took him a moment to remember that Jack wasn't there, that The Hunters were back in their own castle, safe. He had quarreled with Jack before the man left but that didn't mean either of them was in danger from the other.

Even still Ryan felt better after he wrote a letter apologizing to Jack.


End file.
